INDETERMINATE SENTENCING TO THE COLORADO STATE PENITENTIARY - WHAT'S IT DONE

• NCJ Number: 35689
• Author(s): T G CRAGO; C S HROMAS
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 7 pages
• Grant Number(s): 75-1B-(2)-CO-41
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: Colorado Dept of Institutions
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

PRELIMINARY STUDY OF THE CHANGES WHICH HAVE OCCURRED IN THE COLORADO STATE PENITENTIARY AS A RESULT OF A TWO-YEAR OLD INDETERMINATE SENTENCING OPTION.

Abstract

THREE AREAS WERE STUDIED - CHANGES IN THE LENGTH OF INITIAL INCARCERATION, CHANGES IN RECIDIVISM RATES, AND THE IMPACT OF REPLACING INDETERMINATE SENTENCES WITH FIXED MINIMUMS SUGGESTED BY COLORADO'S DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S ASSOCIATION. THE FIRST TWO QUESTIONS WERE EXAMINED BY ANALYZING THE OFFENDER FILES OF INMATES INCARCERATED DURING THE LAST QUARTERS OF 1972 AND 1973 TO DETERMINE LENGTH OF INITIAL INCARCERATION, REASON FOR LEAVING, AND LENGTH OF TIME BETWEEN RELEASE AND RETURN FOR THOSE WHO RETURNED. THE THIRD QUESTION WAS ADDRESSED BY ANALYZING THE LENGTH OF TIME SERVED FOR ALL NEW COMMITMENTS TO THE PENITENTIARY AND REFORMATORY DURING THE LAST QUARTER OF 1973. RESULTS REVEALED THAT TYPICAL LENGTH OF STAY DECLINED AS A RESULT OF INDETERMINATE SENTENCING WHILE RECIDIVISM RATES SHOWED NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE. THE AUTHORS CONCLUDE THAT THERE IS NOT SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT ALLEGATIONS THAT RECIDIVISM RATES ARE HIGHER AS A RESULT OF THE NEW SENTENCING OPTION.